Fukuoka, gateway to colorful hells and muddy bubble ponds

AR Ardent Rambler

Well-Known Member
Prologue:

Around New year’s, I agreed on attending Congress meeting in Fukuoka, Japan. This would be my first to Fukuoka, the gateway to cultural and hot water spring hub in the island of Kyushu. I will never miss an opportunity to revisit ‘The Land of Rising Sun’.

There are three things that I love about Japan:
1. Food: It is not only the Umami that makes it special; it is the presentation and the effort it takes to make it a piece of art?
2. People: Without any doubt, they are the most courteous and helpful people in the world.
3. Toilet seat: they are perennially warm even on the coldest night!

Our itinerary and logistics including everything was planned by a travel agent. So this travelogue will not be helpful for persons with DIY and budget restrictions. However we all can enjoy the t’logue to Japan.

Our itinerary was as follows.

Day 1: BKK 2 FUCK: Red eye flight with morning arrival in Fukuoka airport.
Day 2: Drive 2 Beppu via Yufuin. Overnight stay in Beppu.
Day 3: Drive from Beppu to Fukuoka: Lunch at Kane Honke Crab; Afternoon drive to Sakurai Futamigaura’s couple stones. Overnight to Fukuoka.
Day 4: Morning meeting. Afternoon drive to Marinepal Yobuko. Return to Fukuoka: After dinner drive to Fukuoka tower. Overnight in Fukuoka.
Day 5: Drive to Dazaifu. FUCK airport. Return flight FUK 2 BKK.

We will start with a few teasers in BCMTouring tradition:

Edo style shop lining the street of Yufuin

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Harry Porter’s Cotswold museum in Yufuin
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One of the stalls serving delicious food in Yufuin
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Kinrinko lake in Yufuin
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Cherry blossom in Dazaifu
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Jigoku Meguri, "blood pond hell in Beppu
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Green color hell with beautiful garden in Umi Jigoku, Beppu
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Onishibozu Jigoku, boiling mud bubbles pool hell in Beppu
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Tori gate in one of the hells in Beppu
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Umi Jigoku, "sea hell" with boiling water in Beppu
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Our Pinky boat in Yobuko
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View of Yobuko, Squid town
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View of Hakata bay and town from Fukuoka tower
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Bird's eye view of the city from Fukuoka tower
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Fukuoka tower
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Unique top ten Starbucks outlet in Dazaifu
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In the campus of Dazaifu temple complex
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Plum and Cherry blossom in Dazaifu
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Yobuko bridge during our sailing expedition in Yobuko in Fuji B&W simulation

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Dazaifu in Fuji B&W simulation
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Plum and cherry blossom trees in Dazaifu
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Sakurai Futamigaura’s couple stone
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Tori gate to Dazaifu temple complex in Fuji B&W simulation
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AR Ardent Rambler

Well-Known Member
Day 1, BKK 2 FUCK: Check in, check out!

Post COVID 19 air travel has been never more difficult; longer queues @ airline check-in, security and immigration counters. Check-in was a breeze. However security and immigration clearance took almost an hour. I had two hours to spare in the duty free area. I was looking for Japanese Gin in the alcohol section. Trust me since COVID times they make the best gin; try Kina Bi. I found a cafe and killed my time with an espresso and croissant. I got to meet the rest of the gang @ C gate for boarding the plane. After a long wait, I was @ the window seat. I dozed out for two hour hours. We were woken up for breakfast an hour and half before landing. It was dawn and I was enjoying the hues of sun rise. I picked up chicken fried rice. We arrived an hour later than our scheduled time. The queues @ the vaccination and immigration counters were very long despite the online registration. It took us almost two hours before I picked up my bags and passed through the Green line.
Some captures from the sky; all mobile uploads.

Suvarnabhumi International Airport BKK
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GM;
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Hues of dawn
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Orange hues of dawn
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Scratched window panes playing spoilt sport
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On the wing
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Sprayed hues courtesy strached window pane
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Abode the clouds
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On the wings of love ❤
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Fukuoka
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Fukuoka, here we come
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Arigato gosaimus, Fukuoka
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On the wings of love above Fukuoka coastline
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Remember the 80s number,Arigato Mr Roberto from STYX
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Guess the wing of airline?
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Just below landing in Fukuoka airport
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Love the unfocused capture in B&W
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Coastline of Fukuoka
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You light up our life
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Early morning sun lighting up the coastline
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Suvarnabhumi International Airport BKK
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AR Ardent Rambler

Well-Known Member
Day 2, drive 2 Beppu via Yufuin: Overnight stay in Beppu:
Outdoor temperatures were hovering around 10 degree centigrade. Our group was ready to leave for Yufuin. We were traveling by bus coach. The drive was enjoyable through scenic landscape. We were in this touristy village by noon. We checked in for Yakitori style lunch. The highlight were the giant mushrooms.
We had an hour and half to spend in this Onsen town with Edo architecture styled houses and shops. The first place was fairytale Floral village. It is small theme park based on Harry Porter’s Cotswald. Teenagers were enjoying clicking selfies. I did not spend much time and as I was feeling a little out of place. I started walking towards Kinrinko lake. It is located at the foot of Mt. Yufuin. I did captures the spectacular views of the lake. Then I walked along Yunotsubo lane which connects the lake to station. The lane is full of eateries serving delicious croquettes, Doriyaki, ice cream, matcha tea, etc. and souvenir shops. I too lowered my guard to satisfy my sweet tooth with yummiest cheesecake and washed it down with the freshest of Matcha latte

All mobile uploads

Good morning Fuckuoka

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Vitamin B complex drink is commonly consumed by locals as an energiser.
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Beautiful landscape during our drive to Yufuin

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Yakitori lunch with highlight being the giant mushrooms . Note the giant on left side of plate.

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Floral village
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Floral village
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Cotswald world
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Yufuin village and Yunotsubo lane
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Tourists on Yunotsubo lane
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Yummiest matcha latte
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Queue for yummiest cheesecake
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Dog house of Yufuin
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Kinrinko lake
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Kinrinko lake in B & W
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A time to reflect on your past
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U R not Alone! That's not true
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Serene surrounding of the lake
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Wooden house next to the lake
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Kinrinko lake is surrounded by trees
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The lake is mountains on one side
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"A bridge 2 far"
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In B &W avatar
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Yufuin village
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Walk around the lake
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Walk around the lake
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Walkin in the village
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On the far end of village
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AR Ardent Rambler

Well-Known Member
Yufuin village (continued)
Fuji uploads

Main area and Yunotsubo lane
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B&W avatar of Edo style shops
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Colorful umbrella dusplay
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Waiting for their yummy treats
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Taking a break
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Colorful displays of efo style shops
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This girl wants to ride with Teddy bear
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Yufuin Floral village
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Cotswald world

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Kinrinko lake and the rest of the village
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Far end of the village
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A Bridge 2 far
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Primitive shops in Yufuin village
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Houses in far end of the village
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Far end of the village
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anupmathur

Super Moderator
Staff member
Absolutely lovely!
But Doc, you seem to have got the Yakitori wrong. Looks more like Sashimi?
 

AR Ardent Rambler

Well-Known Member
Yufuin village (continued)
Fuji uploads

Main area and Yunotsubo lane
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B&W avatar of Edo style shops
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Colorful umbrella dusplay
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Waiting for their yummy treats
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Taking a break
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Colorful displays of efo style shops
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This girl wants to ride with Teddy bear
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Yufuin Floral village
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Cotswald world

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Kinrinko lake and the rest of the village
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Far end of the village
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A Bridge 2 far
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Primitive shops in Yufuin village
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Houses in far end of the village
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Far end of the village
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- Yakitori is a Japanese type of skewered chicken. Its preparation involves skewering the meat with kushi, a type of skewer typically made of steel, bamboo, or similar materials. Afterwards, they are grilled over a charcoal fire. During or after cooking, the meat is typically seasoned with tare sauce or salt. Other meat and vegetables can also be grilled.
- Sashimi is thinly sliced, raw food. Seafood is most commonly eaten as sashimi, but other meats and foods can also be served as sashimi.

We grilled the meat and vegetables. So it is Yakitori.
 

anupmathur

Super Moderator
Staff member
- Yakitori is a Japanese type of skewered chicken. Its preparation involves skewering the meat with kushi, a type of skewer typically made of steel, bamboo, or similar materials. Afterwards, they are grilled over a charcoal fire. During or after cooking, the meat is typically seasoned with tare sauce or salt. Other meat and vegetables can also be grilled.
- Sashimi is thinly sliced, raw food. Seafood is most commonly eaten as sashimi, but other meats and foods can also be served as sashimi.

We grilled the meat and vegetables. So it is Yakitori.
Ah, understood. The confusion was because the photo did not show barbecued Yakitori.
 

AR Ardent Rambler

Well-Known Member
Next we proceeded to the hells (Jigoku), the main attractions of Beppu. There are seven spectacular hot springs for viewing rather than bathing. They are steaming ponds of various colors and bubbling mud pools.

Oniishibozu Jigoku
This hell is named after the mud bubbles, which emerge from boiling mud pools and look like the shaven heads of monks. There is also a foot bath with clear water.

Jigoku Meguri
The "blood pond hell" features a pond of hot, red water and a large souvenir shop. It is one of the more photogenic hells.

Umi Jigoku
One of the more beautiful hells, the "sea hell" features a pond of boiling, blue water. In its spacious gardens, there are a few smaller, orange colored hells and a clear water pond with lotus flowers whose large leaves are strong enough to carry small children.

Kamado Jigoku
The "cooking pot hell" features several boiling ponds and a flashy demon statue as cook. On the grounds, visitors can drink the hot spring water, enjoy hand and foot baths, inhale the hot spring steam and try various snacks cooked or steamed by the hot spring.

We checked in Suginoi Onsen hotel. The room was rather spacious considering the small rooms in bigger cities with beautiful view of Beppu coastline.

Captures of Jigoku Meguri, Bloody Hell
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Probably the most photogenic pond
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A few cherry trees blossoming earlier tha expected
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Visitors appreciating the cherry blossom trees
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Bloody pond
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Smoky bloody pond
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Khoony pond
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Cherry blossom
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I have accept the fact that I am quite bad with macros
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Early flowering of cherry blossom ; breaking up from buds! Overexposed capture
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Pond filled with bloody waters
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Bloody pond with sulphur smoke
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Jigoku Meguri
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Probably this capture depicts what Jigoku Meguri is?
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Khooni lake
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